"The police were very quickly on the scene and they rounded up these people.

"They escorted them to the exit of the port with no violence or confrontation at all - it was almost like a publicity stunt, really."

A swarm of illegal immigrants breach security at the port of Calais. Picture: Mark Salt

Darting to avoid capture, they make a bolt for the P&O ferry. Picture: Mark Salt

After being rounded up, the asylum seekers are led away. Picture: Mark Salt

He added: "It's very concerning. We've written to the port authorities expressing our concern and urging them to redouble their efforts to improve security at the port and there was evidence last night that that had been done.

"We are concerned for our staff. Our number one priority is the safe operation of our ships.

"We've issued instructions that we should not involve ourselves in any kind of confrontation.

"The captains will take a very cautious approach to any further incursion of that type - we don't want that kind of confrontation on our ships and we'll do our best to avoid it."